A Modern Day Disaster
by fullvoid
Summary: Kagome, now an adult, still struggles with what she was forced to leave behind in the Feudal Era. Years later she stumbles upon a familiar face, triggering a downward spiral. And with, that disaster ensues.
1. Chapter 1

_Chapter 1_

* * *

"Are you even listening to me?"

Kagome's eyes snapped up, the woman in front of her had her hands on her hips, and a displeased look on her face. Kagome had been in deep thought, she shook her head almost as if she could shake the thoughts out.

"Urm...yes, Eri. You were saying something about my birthday?" Kagome questioned, silently cursing herself for drifting off in the middle of her conversation with her best friend.

Well, her _modern_ day best friend.

Eri sighed, clearly exacerbated by Kagome's behavior this past week. She always became weird and distant around the same time every single year as if she were mourning an anniversary of something devastating. At first Eri thought it had something to do with that odd, silver-haired boyfriend she had when they were in high school but there was no way Kagome could still be pining after that guy, right? They graduated high school seven years ago for god's sake.

"As I was saying- Suki, Ayumi, Hojo, and Sho are all going to be at your birthday dinner tomorrow night. We're going to Yamazaki, so please attempt to dress semi nicely, I don't want to even see you in jeans or I'll drag you into the bathroom and make you change myself," Eri instructed as a playful smile began to form at her lips.

"Uh huh."

Eri and Kagome have been living together as roommates their entire adult life, thus she thought of Kagome as the closest thing to a sister she ever hoped for. Kagome seemed to share the same sentiment. Out of all their high school friends, Kagome spent the most time with Eri, it was only natural that their relationship blossomed beyond casual friendship.

Kagome got up from the dining table where she was sitting for the past half hour and made her way towards her room. The late afternoon sun shone through her open window, lighting up her room, turning the white walls into a golden amber color. Kagome hated the color. It reminded her too much of….

 _No. Stop it._

As she laid down on her bed, Kagome began to feel a familiar lump form at the base of her throat. Willing herself not to cry, she tried to think of anything other than what was pressing on her mind. Flashbacks of Inuyasha's amber eyes staring intently at her, Miroku's wise words, the evenings Sango and her spent talking in the hot springs, and the nights she held Shippo's body close to hers as if she were his mother invaded her mind anyways.

With each revolution of the Earth, the anniversary of the day she was forced to leave the Feudal Era came and went, leaving Kagome as heartbroken as the year prior.

Kagome thought back to all the injuries she sustained from trying to jump into the well in desperation the first few months she was permanently back home. It never opened for her despite all the sorrowful tears and sprained ankles. One day Kagome stopped trying to go back and she began to slowly heal. The nightmares, memories, and faith deteriorated day by day, month by month, year by year. Kagome, however, let herself mourn one week out of the fifty two weeks of the year. And that kept her sane, it kept her more or less content on her bad days, and even happy on her good ones.

Kagome sat up on her bed, glumly looking over at her open closet. Maybe if she wished hard enough an outfit that would please Eri would appear and she would not need to scramble for one. Kagome shook her head whilst taking her phone out of the pocket on her jeans, she scrolled through her contacts until she saw Ayumi's name and pressed the call button. It rang three times before she heard a voice on the other line.

"Hi Kagome," Ayumi said cheerfully.

"Hi Ayumi, I was wondering if you could bring me a dress or something to work tomorrow. Eri threatened me again about my birthday attire. You would think it was her birthday and not mine."

"Of course Kagome," Ayumi replied while stifling a laugh. "Do you have any preference on the style?"

"Um, no. Not really. I guess something that screams 'I'm 25!'"

"Gotcha, girl. I have the perfect outfit in mind. See you tomorrow!"

Ayumi hung up before Kagome could reply. Picking herself up off of her bed, Kagome reentered the kitchen and began to make herself dinner which she quickly consumed. Then she drew herself a bath, soaking in the tub longer than usual. Finally she was in bed, feeling as though she were exhausted yet sleep would not take her. Huffing to herself, Kagome reached into her bedside table, fishing out her prescription bottle in the dark. Swallowing the pill dry, Kagome stared up at her ceiling until sleep ultimately arrived, sweeping her away.

xXx

Kagome woke with a jolt upon hearing her alarm clock go off the next morning. Groaning to herself, she groggily made her way into the bathroom where she brushed her teeth and hair. Only after Kagome walked into the kitchen did she realize Eri was already up. She handed Kagome a very welcome cup of coffee way too cheerfully, in Kagome's opinion, considering the time of day it was.

"Happy Birthday!" Eri exclaimed, taking a wrapped gift from the off the kitchen counter and handing it to Kagome.

"Eri, I thought I said no gifts," Kagome grumbled as she eyed the small box that was now in her hand.

"You say that every year, Kagome. When have I ever listened to you?" Eri responded. "Now go on, open it."

Kagome gracefully undid the ribbon wrapped around the box. Undoing the lid, her breath caught in her throat. It was a pair of silver teardrop earrings, and Kagome instantly thought they were beautiful. Kagome looked up from the box to Eri, then back down, then up once more.

"Eri….I don't know what to say, they're gorgeous. I can't believe you got me these," Kagome stuttered out. Truthfully, in the past, Eri had not gotten Kagome birthday gifts that she had any necessary use for, or that she particularly liked. These earrings however, were so Kagome. Kagome eagerly took them out of the box, instantly slipping them into the small holes in her earlobes. Eri was beaming at her.

Setting down her copy of the Tokyo Times, Eri replied, "I'm so happy you love them. I just wanted to get you something so you'd know how much you mean to me."

The two girls then ate their breakfast while idly chatting with one another. As soon as the clock hit quarter to eight, Kagome stood up. She hugged Eri, said her goodbyes and thank yous, and walked out of their apartment, down the stairs, and onto the street. Kagome lived only a ten minute walk away from the law firm she recently began working for. Kagome graduated from law school only a few months earlier, and she was pleasantly surprised she was able to find a job so quickly and so close to where she lived.

 _The world has to pay me back in some way_ , Kagome thought as she briskly walked through the crowds of people on the sidewalk.

It was the beginning of fall in Tokyo, and thus the leaves were just starting to fall off countless trees that lined the street. Cascades of oranges, yellows, and reds flew through the air, riding the gentle breeze, as Kagome approached the ugly, grey skyscraper in which the law firm she worked at was located. She walked into the elevator, hit the button for the thirtieth floor and stood in silence as everyone else shuffled on. It took a few minutes until Kagome was sitting at her desk, awaking her computer from its slumber.

"Kagome! Happy birthday!"

Kagome swung around in her chair, now facing the pretty face of Ayumi. It was a significantly better view than the black screen of her still sleeping computer.

"Thank you Ayumi, how are you today?"

"I am doing wonderful this morning," Ayumi chirped as she handed Kagome a grocery bag filled with what she assumed was her birthday attire for the evening.

"Ugh, you are a lifesaver Ayumi," Kagome remarked as she took the bag. Kagome could already feel the relief rush over her. She went to peek inside and felt her hand receive a light slap. Kagome glanced up looking startled, Ayumi continued to smile her signature smile at her.

"No peeking! I don't want you to forget to wear the dress I picked out for you."

Kagome sighed, her eyes closing slowly in what could only be described as the onset of regret at allowing Ayumi to pick her outfit for tonight. Ayumi strolled back to her desk as Kagome turned back around and began to work, praying that the dress was not too short or revealing. But knowing Ayumi, that was a little too much to hope for.

xXx

When Kagome took the black, form fitting mini-dress and matching high heels out of the bag, she cringed.

"Why did Ayumi think this was a good choice for me," Kagome huffed to herself. "I guess this is what I deserve for not owning any dresses."

With that, Kagome squeezed-yes, squeezed, herself into the dress. Begrudgingly Kagome slipped the heels on and glanced at herself in the mirror. Her breath caught, she almost did not recognize herself from the neck down. Kagome's usual attire consisted of a pant suit for work or jeans and plain t-shirts when she was not at work. However, this dress came down to about mid thigh and formed to Kagome's petite, fit body.

 _I'm going to catch a cold if I wear this out at night._

The dress and shoes were very plain otherwise, and the sleeves of the dress were long, and for that, Kagome decided she was grateful.

 _If I can defeat one of the most powerful youkai in all of Feudal Japan in my old school uniform, I can wear this for one night._

Kagome heard a soft knock on her door, startling her back to reality.

"Kagome, can I come in?" Eri asked. Before Kagome could even respond, Eri opened the door anyways, gasping at the sight of her best friend. "Wow, you look _hot_."

"I'm not comfortable."

"But you look hot."

"I don't need to look hot."

"Yes, you do."

"Why?"

"Because the last time you got laid it was losing your virginity to Hojo four years ago, Kagome!" Eri chided. "I'm worried about you. All you do is hang around the house and then go to work. I want you to have fun. You're turning twenty five for crying out loud."

Kagome's eyebrows furrowed together. Eri was right, of course. Kagome rarely left the house if it was not to go to work or visit home. Kagome shuddered at the memory of losing her virginity to Hojo, whom she was briefly romantic with when she was twenty one. Kagome knew she was just trying to distract herself from the pain of losing Inuyasha, of losing all her friends, so she did the right thing and broke it off. It was awkward for a while afterwards, but their friendship recovered and now Hojo had a sweet, long time girlfriend.

And Kagome had no one.

"Okay, okay. Enough with the concern, let's just go to dinner," Kagome responded with her hands raised slightly above her head as if surrendering. Eri pursed her lips as if she just tried eating a raw lemon, then proceeded to shoo Kagome out of their apartment as they walked in comfortable silence to the restaurant Eri picked out.

As soon as they walked in, Kagome already spotted her group of friends at a booth on the other side of the restaurant. Kagome squeezed in next to Ayumi and Sho while Eri sat on the other side next to Suki and Hojo. Many greetings and 'Happy Birthdays' were given and Kagome felt both grateful for her friends as well as tired of all the attention her birthday forces upon her each year.

"So, Kagome, feeling old yet?" Sho asked her. He peered over Ayumi to catch her eyes.

"Ha Ha, very funny, Sho," Kagome retorted.

Ayumi was too engaged in a very serious debate with Suki and Hojo regarding the reproductive cycles of the fish they were eating to notice the conversation happening above her head.

"In all seriousness, you look great Kagome," Sho complimented. Kagome shied away and blushed, sending a silent prayer that Sho did not notice the flush of pink that crept up her cheeks.

Sho was most definitely a looker. His dark curls, chocolate eyes, and strong jaw were enough to make anyone think that. Kagome met him in one of her classes her first year of law school, and she instantly took a liking to him. However, it was not for his looks as one would assume. Instead it was because he reminded her of Inuyasha. He was bold, brash, and freely spoke his mind. Sho was not afraid to exchange banter with Kagome, he teased her until she became outraged, and she secretly enjoyed it.

"I need to go use the restroom," Kagome announced to the group before sliding out of the booth.

Kagome entered the bathroom and immediately splashed some cold water on her face. Looking into the mirror, Kagome absentmindedly stared at her reflection. She had aged somewhat since her teenage years- her cheekbones became prominent as the baby fat melted off her previously round face, her hair grew significantly and was now almost to her thighs in length, and Kagome finally grew breasts and hips, giving her body curves that she did not have when she was a teenager.

"Maybe Eri was right and I do need to get laid," Kagome moaned to herself out loud.

As Kagome exited the bathroom and made her way back to her table, something caught the corner of her eye. Something silver and something that was absolutely youkai. Kagome froze in her tracks, it felt as though someone dropped an ice cube down her back.

Kagome carefully turned her head a couple inches to the right and immediately she felt her lungs were incapable of working any longer. Although it has been years since Kagome has seen this particular demon, she recognized him immediately.

Kagome was now gazing upon the face of Sesshomaru and he was gazing right back at her.

* * *

 **To everyone who clicked on this story and read this chapter:** Hi! First off, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I am not sure the direction of this story if I'm being completely honest. However, what this story will do is explore Kagome's relationship with Sesshomaru, as well as other characters. This story is also meant to be an exploration Kagome has with herself if she never had the opportunity to jump back in time to the Feudal Era after the elimination of the Shikon no Tama. Basically, expect angst, friendship, romance, and more angst. Please leave a review and let me know what you like/don't like/any suggestions. Thank you!


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter 2_

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Inuyasha.

* * *

It felt as though an eternity had passed between Kagome and man who appeared to be Sesshomaru. One of his eyebrows lifted up as though he were surprised to see her there.

"Oh, no."

Kagome meant to think that, not say it out loud.

 _Oh no. Oh no. Oh no. Oh no._

Kagome started to panic, feverishly casting her eyes back and forth between her friends and Sesshomaru. His eyebrow remained lifted. Her blood pressure seemed to do the same. Kagome decided she needed fresh air. Walking as fast as her high heels would allow, she passed by within a few metres of Sesshomaru and his date.

 _His date?_

Kagome did a double take, mouth gaping, and stared at the woman sitting across from him. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about that. Kagome sensed that she was also human. Suddenly, Kagome thought she might faint by the absurdity of it all. Who knew Sesshomaru liked to bring human women to sushi restaurants...on dates? After she realized that it was rude to stare at someone you did not know, Kagome continued to walk quickly past them and burst open the front doors. It was cool outside and the autumn breeze began to calm her down almost instantly.

Kagome decided that she needed a drink. Desperately.

Knowing that there was no way she was going back into the building she just exited, Kagome started walking indiscriminately in whatever direction her legs took her until she found a fairly empty bar. Kagome peeked in just in case anyone else from her past decided to make an unexpected comeback and only after searching each face in the room did she deem it safe to enter.

As soon as she sat down at the bar, the bartender came up to her.

"What would you like, miss?"

"A gin and tonic, please," Kagome replied.

"Will that be all?"

Kagome hesitated before nodding enthusiastically.

"Actually, can you take out the tonic?"

"So, you want just gin?"

"Yes. I've had a rough night," Kagome groaned.

A glass full of gin appeared in front of her less than a minute later. Kagome took a sip of it, the smell of it burning her nose as it went down her throat.

Kagome felt hollow.

Kagome was also under the resigned assumption that she could fill this hollowness with alcohol. Except as the glasses of gin were emptied it was almost as though the alcohol was just evaporating through her skin, leaving her equally void with each consecutive drink.

"Soooo…..you ever ran into your dead ex boyfriend's half-brother who hates you?" Kagome asked. Her speech was considerably slurred, but Kagome had been at the bar for forty-five minutes, she might as well try and make conversation.

"I can't say I have," the bartender replied. Kagome knew he was just trying to be nice to the distressed, drunk girl, yet she did not care at the moment. She just wanted to talk to someone, and bartenders were as much substitute therapists as they were mixologists.

"Well, it's shit. Remember that, Mr. Bartender," Kagome sniffed.

"What's shit?"

Kagome swung around ungracefully, almost knocking her many empty glasses over in the process, and was all too suddenly gazing into the amber eyes she saw in the restaurant an hour earlier. Sesshomaru was in the chair next to her, as cool and collected as Kagome always recollected. At this moment in time, she hated him for that. Kagome observed Sesshomaru, he had grown taller, his silver hair was tied up in a knot, the markings on his face were nowhere to be seen, and his usual Feudal Era attire was replaced with a pair of jeans and a regular shirt and jacket.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Kagome moaned. Once Kagome's feet hit the ground she wavered, almost falling to the ground and exposing everyone in the bar to more than she would want them to see in her short dress. Deciding the bathroom was too far away, Kagome opted to stumble her way outside. As soon as she found the best looking bush for the occasion, all the contents in her stomach were forced onto the ground at her feet. Suddenly she wished that she did not leave her phone on her nightstand at home and that she could call Eri to come rescue her from this nightmare.

"Are you finished?"

If Kagome thought she felt empty in that bar, she felt _really_ empty now. Kagome put her head between her legs as she sat on the ground since it temporarily stopped the entire world around her from spinning.

"What could you possibly want with me, Sesshomaru?" Kagome bit out.

Being near this living artifact from her past made Kagome's heart seize up. The eyes looking down at her reminded her too much of the love she never truly had yet lost all those years ago. Kagome would do anything if it meant those eyes never looked at her again. Nevertheless, here they were, still staring intently upon the broken woman in front of them.

"I recognize you. How do you know my name?" Sesshomaru asked. His tone of voice was not what Kagome remembered it to be. It was still as deep and calm as usual, but there was no element of coldness in it.

Kagome felt the beginning of a migraine originate behind her eyes.

"I met you over four hundred years ago, Sesshomaru."

"That is impossible. You're human."

"Yes. I am. You're not."

Sesshomaru straightened up as she said this, trying to hide the flash of surprise on his face.

"You're very intoxicated."

"I know."

Sesshomaru sat down next to Kagome, being careful not to get too close to her stomach contents that were next to her feet. Kagome felt silly and she let out a humorless laugh at her situation. Here she was, drunk and disorderly, sitting next to Sesshomaru whom she met centuries ago when she was fifteen years old.

"I can't believe you're wearing jeans," Kagome said, finally breaking the long silence that stretched between them.

"Most people wear jeans," Sesshomaru replied.

"Hmm."

There were very few people out tonight on the streets. Cars occasionally zoomed past where Kagome sat, their headlights intensifying for a moment before fading away. Although the sky above her was cloudless, there was not one single star in sight due to the light pollution of the city. Kagome felt as though she was being scrutinized by the very eyes of the universe. The thin thread that Kagome used to sew up the pieces of her heart were weakening with each passing second. Sesshomaru was tearing each and every one without so much as uttering a sound.

Kagome thought that she would be elated to find anybody from her past, anyone that could tell her what happened to her friends and about what happened to Inuyasha. This was Kagome's one and only chance to inquire about those she lost, but she could not bring herself to do it. Grief worked in interesting ways.

Not to mention the fact that Kagome felt scared. Not of the demon a few feet away from her, but of what he might say if she asked any of the questions that were burning in her throat, begging to be said.

"Why are you sitting here?" Kagome asked.

This question shattered the growing tension between them like a hammer to glass. Sesshomaru frowned at this. For a second Kagome thought he was going to stand up and run away from her.

"I can tell that you are as alone as I am," Sesshomaru replied.

Kagome took in a deep breath as she attempted to calm herself. Kagome had many friends and people in her life that fulfilled plenty of areas of her heart and soul, yet she could not deny that an essential part of her is missing. It was not just Inuyasha that held this in his claws, but every single kind soul she cared for and loved as a teenager. Kagome was guilty of too freely giving her heart out to anyone who would accept it and that was consistently her downfall. She wanted to keep as much of her heart that was left and that meant never seeing the demon sitting next to her again.

"Why are you alone, Sesshomaru?"

"I am over a thousand years old. In my younger years I preferred my solitude and quest for power over any relationships with other demons. Now, look at the world around you. There are no demons left. I have no more power and no more land. I have nothing."

Kagome nodded mostly to herself after hearing Sesshomaru speak the most she has heard from him in her life. _I guess four centuries can change even the most stubborn of demons._

The grass in front of Kagome began to blur a bit around the edge of her vision. As Kagome tried to stifle a yawn, she clumsily stood up, before turning to Sesshomaru. She gave a shallow bow before turning back the way she came. The city lights around her were blurry and dazzling, and Kagome felt broken and alone in this city filled with millions of souls. She felt his eyes burning into her back as she drunkenly staggered away; but for once in her life, Kagome did not look back.

* * *

 **Thank you so everyone who reviewed the first chapter.** Ya'll just made me write this one faster. I'm sorry it is shorter than the first one, I have family visiting right now and I wanted to get something out while I still could. Except weekly updates for this story from now on! Thank you for reading. As always, review/fav/follow!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

* * *

After leaving Sesshomaru, the only set of events Kagome remembered was falling into the front door, seeing Eri's angry expression, taking a warm bath, then being tucked into bed. To Kagome's surprise when she woke up the next morning, Eri was still in her bed. As soon as Kagome tried to sit up, a raging headache made her wince, and she immediately felt nauseous. Kagome let out a soft groan, making Eri's eyes snap open.

"Kagome…" Eri began with both a frown and a look of concern on her face.

"Eri, I'm sorry. I want to tell you why I got so upset but I can't. Just know that I didn't mean to ruin the plans you made for me, you're such a good friend to me and I totally ruined everything," Kagome said. Kagome felt a lump form at her throat and before she could swallow it down, she started to sob. It felt refreshing to finally let herself cry, her tears ran down her cheeks and rolled off them in great, big drops onto her bedsheet.

Eri sighed. She scooted closer to Kagome and took her in her arms, rubbing her back and humming softly as she did so.

"Kagome, you know you can tell me anything, right?"

Kagome nodded in her friend's shoulder. That was all the response she could muster up at the moment. Kagome missed Sesshomaru, too. Not in the way that a person misses their lover or their friend, but in the way that someone misses their past. Sesshomaru was neither friendly or even an acquaintance to Kagome, yet he knew more about her and her identity than even Eri did. Sesshomaru understood it better than her family considering he lived it and was a person of the past and future just like Kagome. There was so much pain that came from being around him. However, she never felt more like herself than last night. Kagome allowed herself to be as broken on the outside as she felt on the inside.

Then there was the very blatant fact that Sesshomaru was an extremely changed youkai than the one Kagome remembered from all those years ago. She figured that youkai changed as they grew up, and four hundred is a lot of years, but she was surprised by Sesshomaru's sudden willingness to strike up a conversation with a distressed human.

 _I can't believe I vomited in front of him. The Great Demon of the West. Fantastic, new first impression, Kagome. Great._

Kagome leaned back, away from Eri's shoulder and let out a frustrated sigh.

"Does everyone hate me?" Kagome timidly asked.

"No, babe. Everyone was just worried about you. They were so relieved when I texted them last night once you came home," Eri replied.

"Thank you. For everything."

Eri sprang up out of her bed and sauntered over to the door. As she opened it she looked over her shoulder. "There's no need to thank me, Kagome. For you, I'd do that every single night if I had to. Now I have to get ready and go to work, so try not to get into any more trouble while I'm gone." With that, Eri shut the door behind her.

Kagome fell back down on her bed. On one hand, she had a raging headache that she did not think was going to magically go away soon. On the other hand, it was Saturday morning and she should probably do something with her day. The library would be perfect for a chilly, overcast day such as today.

Kagome changed into a comfy outfit, completed her morning bathroom routine, took the equivalent of an horse's dose of painkillers for her hangover, and she was out the door on the way to the library. The wind bit a little as it flew over her exposed cheeks. Nonetheless, Kagome loved this season and the chilliness it brought with it. Usually it was a decent excuse to stay in her apartment all day with only half the whining from Eri or her other friends who wanted her to go out with them. It meant early bedtimes and late mornings, which meant not as much awake time where Kagome had to deal with her thoughts and the way they made her feel.

Kagome felt instant warmth swell up around her as soon as she made it to the library and opened its doors. Her eyes instantly started scanning the area for a map of general genres. The Tokyo Public Library was massive and that was both good and bad for Kagome who came here to specifically find books on youkai. Kagome occasionally went all this way, found the map, saw the Japan Myths and Folklore section and immediately walked out, unable to physically bring herself there. This time she found the appropriate section and her legs took her there. Once she found it, she let out an almost silent whimper. It was huge. She would be lucky if she even got through an eighth of these books in one day.

As Kagome began perusing the sections, she began to wonder what she was exactly hoping to find in this search. She thought she would be pleased with any sort of information regarding any semblance of her friends. However, she knew that this was a dangerous game that she was playing and it had every potential to send her spiraling down to a place that even Kagome could not climb out of.

After several hours, Kagome found what she did not know she was even looking for.

 _The History and Antics of the Japanese Kitsune: A Complete Guide to the Infamous Youkai._

Kagome's hands were shaking as she blindly felt around for the nearest chair she could sit in. As soon as she sat down, she tore open the book and began to read the introduction.

 _Kitsune youkai are among the most dangerous of youkai for any human, especially men, to cross paths with while out on the road._

 _Historically, Kitsune youkai were known to live with one another in packs, usually in a home that gave off the impression of it being an Inn. To a wary, tired traveler, this was the perfect bait to lure them in. Kitsune youkai were notorious for having the ability to shapeshift into any sort of object, or human form, that they desired. Usually the only way to discern a shapeshifted Kitsune youkai from a real human, is by their tail that they most notably have a difficult time hiding. On top of shapeshifting, they are known to be able to conjure fire and become small or large in size at will._

 _Kitsune youkai have been observed to place great importance on family, with the usual family unit consisting of generations upon generations of family, with an average of ten or more children per parental pair._

 _Kitsune youkai are born with only one tail, which can multiply up to nine tails by the end of their life if they complete their ancient training. In their culture, this training is composed of trickery and mischievousness, generally to the detriment of humans and at times, other youkai._

 _There used to be at least a hundred, if not more Kitsune youkai academies all throughout Japan. As modern days began to arrive, these academies have since been abandoned, leaving nothing except what looks to be the shell of an ancient inn. Although, if you look closely enough at these inns, you will find that they are not inns at all. Japanese Kitsune youkai are still alive somewhere in this world today, but no one knows where they migrated._

 _Some say they might still be in Japan, posing as humans right under our noses._

Kagome read the last line ten times, allowing it to soak into into her brain so she could better process the claim that it was making. Kagome has thought often of Shippo. He was young enough when she left that he would be alive in her modern day. Nevermind the fact that he was full youkai and would live even past that and well into the future. When Kagome left the Feudal Era for the last time, Shippo promised her that he would find her. Kagome knew that Shippo was only a little boy when he made that promise; yet she assumed something must have happened to Shippo, for him to break that promise. Kagome tried to imagine any possibility, except the worst one, when she thought of this from time to time.

Kagome stood up, deciding that she was going to take the book home with her for further research. She spent the morning and the better part of her afternoon at the library and her stomach was warning her to eat something soon.

When Kagome walked into her apartment a half an hour later, Eri, Ayumi, and Sho were all sitting at the dining table eating ramen. They looked up in tandem and smiled at Kagome. Kagome smiled back and took a seat at the dining table with them.

"Do you want some ramen, Kagome?" Sho asked. He was being as nice as ever, as though Kagome did not ditch him and everyone else last night at dinner. Kagome was both grateful and under the impression that Eri already spoke to them before Kagome came home.

"Yes, please. I am starving," Kagome replied. She could not help but to feel a little happier around her friends. Kagome allowed her earlier readings of Kitsune youkai be pushed out of her conscience for the time being as she hung out with them.

Kagome, Eri, Sho, and Ayumi all sat at the dining table and laughed for hours. After their chairs began to feel uncomfortable, they all piled onto the relatively small couch in Eri and Kagome's living room and watched horror movies well into the night. Kagome felt the heaviness that she felt during the week lift more and more with each hour that she spent talking and giggling with her friends.

"Okay everyone, it is way past my bedtime," Kagome announced. She got up from the couch and stretched, her eyelids felt heavy, but Kagome felt light.

"Goodnight Kagome," Eri and Ayumi said in unison. They did not even look up at Kagome as they were both enamored with the movie that was playing on the television.

Kagome tiptoed over to her room and shut the door behind her. She changed from her the outfit she wore today into some pajamas. As soon as she was done pulling her shirt on, she heard a faint knock on the door. When Kagome opened it, Sho was outside.

"Hey, did you need anything?" Kagome asked. She was not sure why Sho would come to her for anything if Eri was in the living room with him.

"Yeah! Can I come in? I need to tell you something," Sho replied. He had his usual, beautiful smile on his face that gave Kagome that empty feeling in her core, as though someone hollowed her out and put tiny butterflies in the place her stomach used to be.

"Sure."

When Sho walked into the light of Kagome's room, she noticed that he was nervously fidgeting with the end of his shirt. Kagome smiled up at him, giving him reassurance.

Kagome did not remember the few seconds leading up to the moment Sho's lips started to move against hers, but in that moment, Kagome did not care. Sho grabbed Kagome by her waist, pulling her against him. Kagome responded eagerly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

During the kiss, Kagome felt even lighter, as if she could float away.

* * *

 **Hello to everyone who read this chapter!** I hope you liked it. Please review/favorite/follow, it just makes me write that much harder.

Theoretically, chapter 4 should be out a week from now as I said in the last chapter that I would like to post once a week. However, classes start up again for me next week and I could potentially be too busy to update. Do not despair though, I will try my hardest to update within a week, but I thought I would give everyone a heads up just incase I'm a few days late.


	4. Chapter 4

_Chapter 4_

* * *

Kagome woke up the next morning feeling well rested, which was both welcome yet unusual. Rarely did she ever feel as though she were ready to tackle the day. Even though she had to go to work on a Sunday, it felt as though she did not mindlessly mimic the actions she did day in and day out, every single morning since she was a teenager.

Kagome found Eri eating her usual breakfast of eggs as she walked into the kitchen.

"Soooooooo, I saw Sho knock on your bedroom door last night," Eri said. She smiled at Kagome and gave a suggestive wink before taking a bite of her eggs. Kagome rolled her eyes.

"You know, it's bad to spy on people, Eri."

"It's not spying if I can see your bedroom door from where I was sitting in the living room," Eri retorted. "Even if I couldn't see your bedroom door, Sho was gone for too long of a time for it to not be suspicious."

"Yeah, yeah," Kagome replied. Waving her hands in air as if to dismiss Eri's presumptions, she grabbed a yogurt out of the fridge and made her way to the door. "I gotta go to work."

Eri put her hand up, signalling for Kagome to wait. "Wait! I did not want to upset you, but it looks like one of the earrings I gave you is missing. I'm sure it must be somewhere in your bed sheets, but I wanted to let you know I'll be looking for it today."

Kagome instantly reached her fingers up to her ear lobes. Eri was right. The earring in her right earlobe was gone.

"Dammit! I didn't even notice. Thank you, Eri. I would stay and look too but I really have to go to work," Kagome said. She was going to be late if she stayed any longer, and being late in the law firm she worked for was a sure way to get fired.

After Kagome walked-jogged her way to the building she worked in, she attempted to mentally prepare herself for the grueling day ahead. It was extremely hard to make partner at any law firm, especially the prestigious one that she was working for. She sat down at her desk right on time for the beginning of her shift, relieved that no one seemed to notice her slightly sweaty, red face from the cardio she just did to get there.

One of the office assistants knocked her out of her work-zone state by tapping on her shoulder. Kagome had already been at work for hours, her eyes began to water and sting when she finally tore them away from her computer screen.

"Hi, Kagome. I didn't mean to startle you. There's a man waiting in the lobby for you," the assistant said. Kagome shook her head, she was not expecting anyone to visit her today. In fact, no one ever visited her at work.

 _Maybe it's Sho._ Kagome could not help but to feel a bit excited at that thought. As she made her way over the lobby, her stomach began to do flips. She halted as she reached the entrance to the lobby when a familiar head of white hair invaded her eyes.

Sesshomaru caught her eye and stood up gracefully. He was easily the tallest person in the room, and it seemed like he caught the attention of not only Kagome, but every single other person in the lobby as well. Kagome looked around the room before approaching him. "We can talk in one of the conference rooms," Kagome said. It was more of a demand than a suggestion, and Sesshomaru simply nodded.

As soon as they both sat down near each other in one of the many plush meeting rooms that her firm had, Kagome began to feel nervous. _Why had he come? What did he want? How did he find me?_

Before Kagome could begin her questioning, Sesshomaru held up her silver, teardrop earring.

"I believe this is yours," Sesshomaru said. His rather human looking fingers pushed it towards Kagome. Relief washed over her as she picked it up from the table. She never thought she could ever be so happy to have something returned to her in her life. "Now, I also believe that you owe me."

Kagome snapped her gaze up from the table. "What?" She sputtered out.

"It would please me to know your name," Sesshomaru replied. His face remained blank as though he were completely uninterested in Kagome's answer. Kagome almost started laughing at the absurdity of his request. _He wants to know my name? Really?_

"My name is Kagome."

Sesshomaru nodded, looking thoughtfully out the window for a few seconds before turning his eyes back to her. Kagome's stomach was still doing flips except less so out of excitement now.

"Okay, Kagome. You never really answered my question that I asked you a couple days ago," Sesshomaru accused matter-of-factly.

"What question?" Kagome asked skeptically.

"How do you know me?"

"I told you already. I met you four hundred years ago."

A frown graced Sesshomaru's face after hearing her answer. Yet, he still looked absolutely breathtaking, Kagome thought.

"That does not answer it."

"Well, that's the answer you're getting." Kagome was a bit taken aback by the words that came out of her mouth. She was not sure why she did not feel comfortable telling him anything else about her past. It could possibly be because of the way Kagome's past was a sacred, secret part of her. In many ways, Kagome's past was her. Not in the way that other people's past made them up, but in the fact that in many ways Kagome still feels exactly like the teenager she used to be, as though there was never a future.

"Why do you look so normal, Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked tentatively. She realized that she was in no position to start asking him questions after she refused to answer his, yet her curiosity overtook her.

"I know a particular Kitsune whose job is to help us blend in," Sesshomaru replied.

Kagome's heart sped up to an unhealthy pace. "What's their name?"

"Takamori."

Kagome's heart dropped and a wave of disappointment washed over her. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow at Kagome's nonverbal response.

"I knew a kitsune a long time ago… His name was Shippo. I miss him so much." Kagome willed herself not to cry, yet the usual swelling of tears stung her eyes as she thought of her Kitsune. Sesshomaru gazed at her, and she knew that he could smell the salty scent of tears.

"I could take you to him. Maybe he knew your friend," Sesshomaru suggested.

Kagome stared in his direction, hard. From an outsider's perspective, it would look as though this was intentional, yet Kagome had a very far away look in her eyes.

 _Why is Sesshomaru being so nice to me? Should I meet this youkai? What if he tell me something I do not want to hear? What if he tells me something I do? Can I trust him?_

In that moment, Kagome decided that it would be foolish to reject such an invitation after all the emotional turmoil that she went through. If Shippo was possibly still alive, even if she could never see him again, that would be enough to mend a lot of the pain.

"I would love to see him," Kagome finally said. Her voice was barely above a whisper, yet Sesshomaru's youkai hearing heard her loud and clear.

"He doesn't live in Tokyo. He lives about a four hour drive north, in Sendai."

"Wait...drive? You drive?" Kagome asked.

"Sometimes I take the train." Sesshomaru had one eyebrow cocked as he said this.

"You take the train?"

"How do you expect me to get around?"

"You know, flying? Running? Jumping?" Kagome lifted her hands above her head in exasperation at Sesshomaru's answers to her questions.

The strangest, yet most pleasant sound Kagome had ever heard happened next. If Kagome did not have her eyesight, she would have thought it was fake. Sesshomaru, great youkai of the West, was sitting in front of her laughing. His head was slightly tipped back as his deep laugh echoed around the room. Kagome's face became pink from the embarrassment she began to feel from the laughing youkai across from her.

"You really don't expect me to be drawing attention to myself like that right? I haven't run hundreds of miles in a very long time, Kagome." Sesshomaru stopped laughing at that point but a small, pleasant smile remained on his face. Yet Kagome's face grew hotter, and pinker with each passing second.

"Well, I don't know! I just can't imagine you sitting on a train or driving a car is all," Kagome exclaimed.

She looked at the clock hanging on the wall, Kagome and Sesshomaru have been talking for the past ten minutes and people will soon start noticing that she is not at her desk.

"Listen, I have to go back to work. I'm going to give you my card which has my cell number on it, give me a call tonight or something and we'll figure it out." Kagome took out the spare cards she kept in her blazer pocket, shoving it towards Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru placed the card in his jacket pocket and got up with her.

"I will call you at four today," Sesshomaru announced. He put his hand out towards her and for ten long seconds Kagome stared at it, not sure what he was trying to do. _Sesshomaru shakes hands?_ Kagome dumbly latched her hand onto his, smiling up at him politely as she did so. _His hands are so warm. They're so soft. I wonder if he uses any lotions on them?_

As soon as Sesshomaru exited the conference room, Kagome grimaced to herself. _That was so awkward. He probably thinks I'm a weird idiot. Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

xXx

The last few hours of Kagome's shift went by without anymore surprises. However, once she got home, she walked into a date when she did not even know that she had one. Standing in her kitchen cooking dumplings and rice was Sho. Her usual bare dining room table had a white tablecloth on it, with expensive looking wine adorning it.

Sho looked up at Kagome as she walked in. "Hi Kagome! I hope you don't mind this impromptu dinner. Eri let me in before she left on her own date," Sho said. He came towards Kagome and pulled her into a quick hug.

Although this was possibly the nicest thing a man has done for Kagome in recent years, she was not in the mood for an unannounced date after a stressful work day. She felt like she had no choice though, and sat down at the table, shedding her briefcase and blazer.

"How was work today?" Sho asked. He turned around from the stove, giving Kagome his undivided attention.

"Fine, I guess. Hopefully I won't have to work Sunday shifts for very much longer."

"Oh, my god, yeah. I can't even imagine having to work Sundays. I'm so happy my law firm isn't open six days a week." Sho grabbed the wine off the table and began to open it up. "Do you want some?"

"Sure." In reality, Kagome did not care for wine in the slightest. As Sho uncorked the bottle, Kagome's cell phone began to vibrate in her pocket. Quickly getting up, she ran into her room after murmuring a few incoherent apologies to Sho.

"Hello?" Kagome answered. She looked at the clock on her wall, it was exactly four o'clock. Now that seems like Sesshomaru.

"Fortunately, Takamori can see us soon. Unfortunately, it has to be tomorrow."

Kagome's heart started racing. "Tomorrow? I have work! Can't it be over the weekend?" Kagome began to frantically think of excuses as to why she is going to miss work. Sickness in her cutthroat law firm is not a valid excuse to miss a shift.

"No. He said he is going to be leaving the country for awhile. He didn't say where or for how long either."

"What time would we leave?"

"Eight in the morning." Kagome nearly groaned. Of course she gets a day off of work and yet still has to get up as though she has it. Kagome recited her address and hung up without saying goodbye. She did not want the phone conversation to get too long since Sho was waiting for her return in the kitchen. Not that she really thought that she would have a long phone conversation with Sesshomaru in the first place. He did not seem to her like the type to embrace technology, yet Kagome has been surprised by him in every single one of their recent interactions.

Kagome had too many things on her mind to focus on a romantic evening, so she exited her room and braced herself for the night ahead of her.

* * *

Hi everyone! I'm sorry this took so long for me to write and publish. I just started my second year of college and brought home a second pet which has been super, duper stressful. I hope this chapter makes up for my absence. I'm not sure when I'll update again. Hopefully soon now that I'm starting to figure out a weekly schedule that works for me. As always, like/follow/review, this helps me write faster. Plus I love your reviews and read them as soon as I get them. Thank you for reading!


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